Types of Drinking Straw

Drinking straws are available in a variety of styles and for different uses. The most common straws are long and straight and around 8" in length, making them ideal for use with a common hiball glass. Bendy straws (or flexi straws) are very similar to a standard straw apart from a concertina style hinge about 1/4 of the way down the length. Bendy straws were invented to make drinking easier as the mouthpiece can be angled to the drinker's preference.

Jumbo Straws

The bore of a straw describes the diameter of the tube. The standard bore of a drinking straw is around 4 to 5mm. Jumbo straws feature a wider bore than standard drinking straws to allow thicker drinks to pass through the tubes. Jumbo straws are ideal for use with smoothies, slushies, milkshakes and cocktails with crushed ice.

Sip Straws

Sip straws are used with alcoholic beverages that are intended to be sipped in small amounts. Sip straws have a thinner bore than a standard drinking straw to only allow small amounts to reach the drinker's mouth. Sip straws are usually shorter in length than a standard 8" drinking straw as they are suitable for old fashioned tumblers which are commonly used for spirits.

Frappe Straws

Frappe straws are much shorter than other straws and usually measure around 4" in length. Frappe straws are ideal for use in martini glasses which usually have much shorter sides than other glasses. Spoon straws are intended for mixed drinks, particularly cocktails, that require further stirring. Spoon straws are also useful for thicker drinks for scooping solid ingredients.

Crazy Straws

Crazy straws are a novelty shaped straw made from a hard clear plastic. Crazy straws are usually moulded into 'crazy' shapes that provide an exciting show as the drink passes up the straw. One popular variation of the crazy straw are the straw glasses which are moulded into the shape of spectacles.